Be - Present Simple

Be – Present Simple (am, is, are)

Be is the most important verb in English and also the most irregular one. Almost every other verb keeps the same form for nearly every subject, but be has three different present forms: am, is and are. You need it to say who you are, how you feel, where you are and what things are like, so it is usually the first verb learners meet — and the one they keep coming back to.

Learning objectives

• Choose correctly between am, is and are for every subject.
• Build positive sentences, negative sentences and questions with be.
• Give natural short answers such as Yes, I am and No, she isn't.
• Use contractions the way fluent speakers do.
• Use there is and there are to say what exists.
• Explain why be never needs do or does.

Meaning and usage

The affirmative form

The pattern is simple: I always takes am; he, she, it take is; you, we, they take are. A singular noun behaves like he/she/it (My sister is ...) and a plural noun behaves like they (My parents are ...).

The negative form

Make the negative by adding not after the verb. There is no do and no don't.

Note the gap in the table: there is no contraction "amn't" in standard English. For the first person you say I'm not.

Questions

To make a question, put be in front of the subject. This is called inversion.

Short answers

English rarely answers with a bare Yes or No; it repeats the auxiliary. The positive short answer is never contracted.

There is and there are

Use there is / there are to say that something exists or is present. The verb agrees with the noun that follows it, not with there.

In a list, the verb usually agrees with the first item: There is a table and four chairs.

Be or do? The difference that matters most

Be is its own auxiliary. It forms questions and negatives by itself and never borrows do. Other main verbs cannot do this, so they need do or does.

Signal words and time expressions

Because be describes states rather than actions, it often appears with now, today, at the moment, this week, always, usually and never. Adverbs of frequency go after be, not before it: She is always late. Compare this with other verbs, where the adverb goes before: She always arrives late.

Formal and informal usage

• Speaking and informal writing: contractions are normal and expected. I'm not sure. He's late.
• Formal writing: prefer full forms. The results are not conclusive.
• Choice of negative: he isn't and he's not are both correct. He's not slightly emphasises the negative.
• Aren't I? is the accepted question tag for the first person: I'm right, aren't I?

Common mistakes

Learning tips

1. Memorise the three groups as a rhythm: I am — he/she/it is — you/we/they are. Say it aloud until it needs no thought.
2. Whenever you meet a new subject, ask yourself: is it one thing or more than one? That decides is or are.
3. Practise short answers out loud. Learners understand them long before they produce them naturally.
4. When you feel tempted to write do with an adjective, stop — you almost certainly need be.

Summary checklist

• Have I used am with I, is with singular, are with plural?
• Did I put not after be, without adding do?
• Did I invert the subject and verb to make the question?
• Is my positive short answer uncontracted?
• Does there is / there are agree with the noun after it?
• Did I use be — not have — for age?

Shpjegim në gjuhën shqipe

Rregulli i anglishtes, i shpjeguar në shqip

Folja be është folja më e parregullt e anglishtes. Në kohën e tashme ajo ka tri forma: am përdoret vetëm me I; is me he, she, it dhe me çdo emër në njëjës; are me you, we, they dhe me çdo emër në shumës.

Mohimi ndërtohet duke shtuar not pas foljes, kurrë me do: She is not here. Format e shkurtuara janë isn't dhe aren't; për vetën e parë ekziston vetëm I'm not, sepse forma amn't nuk përdoret në anglishten standarde.

Pyetja ndërtohet duke e vendosur foljen para kryefjalës: Are you ready? Kjo quhet përmbysje dhe është e detyrueshme. Përgjigjja e shkurtër e përsërit foljen: Yes, I am. / No, she isn't. Vini re se përgjigjja pohuese nuk shkurtohet kurrë: thuhet Yes, I am, jo Yes, I'm.

Folja be përdoret për identitetin, profesionin, kombësinë, moshën, përshkrimin, ndjenjat, vendndodhjen, kohën, motin dhe çmimin. Ajo është njëkohësisht folje e mëvetësishme dhe folje ndihmëse, prandaj nuk ka nevojë kurrë për do.

Ekuivalenti në gjuhën shqipe

Folja angleze be i përgjigjet foljes shqipe jam. Që të dyja janë të parregullta dhe që të dyja ndryshojnë sipas vetës, prandaj sistemi nuk është i huaj për folësit e shqipes. Dallimi kryesor është se anglishtja ka vetëm tri forma (am, is, are), kurse shqipja ka gjashtë.

Ekuivalenti i formave

There is dhe there are

Kujdes: kjo strukturë nuk përkthehet fjalë për fjalë. Anglishtja përdor foljen be, kurse shqipja përdor foljen ka në formë të pavetore.

Ku ndryshojnë dy gjuhët

• Kryefjala. Anglishtja e kërkon gjithmonë përemrin; shqipja e heq lirisht. I am tired = Jam i lodhur, pa unë.
• Mosha. Këtu të dyja gjuhët përputhen: I am twenty = Jam njëzet vjeç. Mos përdorni have.
• Gjendjet fizike. Anglishtja përdor mbiemër me be: I am hungry. Shqipja pranon Jam i uritur ose Kam uri.
• Profesioni. Anglishtja kërkon nyjën a: She is a nurse. Shqipja nuk e ka: Ajo është infermiere.
• Mohimi. Anglishtja e vendos not pas foljes; shqipja e vendos nuk para saj: She is not here = Ajo nuk është këtu.

Gabime të zakonshme të folësve të shqipes